JPS59124865A - Liquid jetting recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a highly reliable liquid jetting recorder with an excellent long- time continuous recording property by arranging a plurality of liquid discharge means for one discharge port to use at least one thereof for a spare. CONSTITUTION:A signal is inputted into an energy generating body 11a. When the energy generating body 11a is defective from the beginning or becomes so during the use thereof, the signal inputting is switched over to an energy generating body 11b arranged in symmetry on the center line of the energy generating body 11a and the discharge port 13. As the energy generating body 11b is positioned in a rotary symmetry with the energy generating body 11a, a liquid drop discharged from the discharge port 13 is discharged on the same discharge condition as that of the liquid drop discharged from the energy generating body 11a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a liquid jet recording device, and more particularly, to a liquid jet recording device in which a plurality of energy generators serving as droplet discharge means are provided for one droplet discharge port. Regarding equipment.

Non-impact recording methods, especially the so-called liquid jet recording methods, have various advantages such as almost no noise during recording, high-speed recording, and the ability to record on plain paper without the need for special fixing treatment. Because of this, research and development have been actively conducted recently.

On the other hand, the recording head used in this recording method has an ejection opening (ejection orifice) for ejecting a colored liquid called ink and causing it to fly as droplets, and an inlet for the liquid to flow into. A recording head is used.

There are various types of recording heads depending on the method of ejecting liquid from one ejection port.

In this process, thermal energy is applied to the liquid to vaporize the liquid and generate bubbles, and the rise in internal pressure of the bubbles causes flying droplets to be formed and recorded. 5. Liquid injection There is a recording method.

Further, there is a liquid jet recording method in which recording is performed by applying mechanical energy such as a piezo to the liquid so that the liquid is ejected from an ejection port to form flying droplets.

These recording methods are capable of producing high-density, multi-orifice recording heads through precision microfabrication (relatively easy compared to other methods, and can be used to print files of A4 size or larger, 9-inch It is considered to be one of the promising technologies because it is possible to fabricate a multi-orifice recording head and the head itself can be significantly miniaturized.

Although it has superior recording performance, it suffers from poor durability and reliability due to low yield in the process of arranging the energy generating element and destruction of the energy generating body due to pressure changes, etc. Therefore, it is difficult to actually put it on the production line. These points become more serious problems especially in the case of a full-line multi-nozzle orifice recording head of A4 size or larger. Therefore, the development of a liquid jet recording apparatus having a configuration that solves these problems is eagerly awaited.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable liquid jet recording device that is durable, has excellent droplet ejection stability, and has excellent long-term continuous recording performance. purpose. Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid jet recording device in which recording defects due to defects in the energy generating body are reduced, and which can be manufactured with a high yield through simple manufacturing steps.

A liquid jet recording apparatus according to the present invention includes an ejection port for ejecting droplets, a droplet ejecting means for ejecting the liquid from the ejection port to form flying droplets, and a liquid supplying means. The recording apparatus includes a plurality of droplet ejection means for one ejection opening, and at least one of the droplet ejection means
It is characterized by having one as a spare.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained using figures. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective partial view for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11a and 11b are energy generators, 1
2 is a substrate, and 16 is an ejection port through which droplets are ejected, and the figure shows an imaginary position.

14 is the center line of the discharge port, and 15 is a dividing wall for dividing each discharge portion.

The present embodiment #i shows an example in which the energy generating bodies 11.8 and 11b are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center line 14. As the substrate 12, a substrate suitable for a head of a liquid jet recording device, such as glass, ceramics, plastic, or metal, was used, and energy generating bodies 11a and 11b made of electrothermal converters were arranged. In the case of this embodiment, the dividing wall 15 is formed of photosensitive resin. Furthermore, a discharge lobe plate (not shown) having discharge ports 16 was laminated and formed on the dividing wall 5 .

As a matter of course, at least one of the electric wires (not shown) connected to one energy generator is independently connected to each of the energy generators 11a and 11b.

Discharge lobe plate, dividing wall 15. A portion surrounded by the substrate 12 is supplied with liquid for ejecting droplets from the ejection port 16 . Now, if current is applied to either the energy generator 11a or 11b, in the case of this embodiment, the liquid is vaporized and bubbles are generated, and the resulting pressure causes droplets to be ejected from the ejection port 16.

Droplets were ejected in the same way regardless of which of the energy generators 11a and 11b was energized.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining how to drive the liquid jet recording apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 21 is an energy generator, 22 is an arithmetic circuit, 26 is a driver, and 24
is an energy generator selection circuit. 25 is a discharged droplet, and 26 is a recording member.

At the initial stage of operation of the liquid jet recording apparatus, the energy generator 21 is selected by the energy generator selection circuit 24.
One of the energy generating bodies 21 that corresponds to the two discharge ports is selected. However, in the process of manufacturing a liquid jet recording device, if a defect occurs in the energy generator, for example in the process of arranging the energy generator, or the recording is transmitted to the energy generator selection circuit 24. .

When the energy generator selection circuit 24 receives the information, it stops energizing the energy generator 21 that has been used or has been energized, and selects another energy generator corresponding to the same discharge port. Switch the energization to 21.

The liquid jet recording apparatus of the present invention is driven in this manner.

Returning to FIG. 1, the above drive will be explained as follows.

For example, a signal is first input to the energy generator 11a, but if the energy generator 1'la is defective or becomes defective during use, the energy generator 11a (!: discharge The signal input is switched to an energy generator 11b arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line 4 of the energy generator 11b.
The droplets are ejected from the ejection port 6 under exactly the same ejection conditions as the droplets ejected by the energy generator 11a.

Therefore, even when the energy generator was switched, it was possible to perform the switching extremely smoothly.

In this embodiment, an electrothermal transducer is used as the energy generator, but it is also possible to use an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element or other means normally used in liquid jet recording devices.

The energy generators were arranged point symmetrically with respect to the center of the discharge port, but when the same energy generators (with the same size and other conditions) are used, the nb environment of the energy generator ( For example, if the flow direction of the liquid, the positional relationship with the dividing wall, and the discharge lobe plate) do not change, there will be no point symmetry, and the center line of the discharge port will be perpendicular to or parallel to the liquid supply direction. It may be arranged in a quiet, line-symmetrical position or a rotationally symmetrical position. Furthermore, although it is possible to adopt a similar configuration by changing the capacity and size of the energy generating body or the means for ejecting droplets, it is possible to make the ejection direction and flight direction equal to the size of the ejected droplets. Therefore, it is quite difficult to set the droplet ejection force of the energy generator and the placement location, which is not very desirable.

Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example in which droplets are ejected in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the supplied liquid, droplets are ejected in the same direction as the direction of the supplied liquid. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to various things.

Furthermore, in the present invention, an explanation has been given of an item having two energy generating bodies, but an item having two or more energy generating bodies,
For example, there may be as many as 6 or 4. However, in order to avoid changing the ejection conditions of any energy generator or the conditions of the ejected droplets, and to avoid complicating the manufacturing process of wiring etc. It is not preferable to have many energy generators correspond to one discharge port. Furthermore, the use of a plurality of energy generators for ejecting droplets is also not preferred. The number of energy generators should be determined in consideration of the manufacturing process, manufacturing cost, installation conditions for the energy generators, etc.

According to the present invention, even if one of the energy generating bodies is damaged, the energy generating body is switched to another energy generating body installed with the same ejection conditions as the previous one, so that the liquid jet recording device has high durability. 1 will be provided. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain a liquid jet recording device with good yield.

Furthermore 1. Provided is a highly reliable liquid jet recording device that has excellent ejection stability of m droplets and excellent long-term continuous recording performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective partial view for explaining an implementation example of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a driving method. 11a, '1.1b, 21...Fist energy generator 12
...Substrate 16...Discharge port 14...Discharge port center line 15...Dividing wall 22-...
Arithmetic circuit 23・War・Driver 24...Energy generator selection circuit

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A liquid jet recording device comprising an ejection opening for ejecting a droplet, a droplet ejection means for ejecting the liquid from the ejection opening to form a flying droplet, and a means for supplying the liquid. A liquid jet recording apparatus characterized in that a plurality of the droplet discharge means are provided for one discharge port, and at least one of the droplet discharge means is reserved.